The present invention relates to an aircraft empennage. More particularly, the invention relates to an aircraft empennage having a trailing edge horizontal stabilizer fixedly affixed to the aircraft and a leading edge elevator movably affixed to the aircraft.
The horizontal portion of the empennage of a conventional airplane has two primary functions and is usually proportioned and designed to satisfactorily perform these functions. These two primary functions are the provision or maintenance of both static and dynamic longitudinal stability and the supplying of a sufficient force at the rear of the fuselage to rotate the airplane. The conventional elevator has a distinct tendency to float in the direction of the resultant wind at the tail of the airplane, so that there is a markedly reduced longitudinal stability when the controls are free, as opposed to being fixed. Furthermore, when an airplane equipped with the conventional horizontal stabilizer and elevator is landing, the forward portion of the horizontal stabilizer has an effect counter to that of the elevator, with the result that the conventional combination of the horizontal stabilizer and elevator is less efficient in the control of the landing attitude of the airplane.